In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 10- 16 January 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The 4 civilians were killed at the border area as a result of excessive use of force. Also, 2 Palestinian civilians were shot by Israeli settlers in the northern West Bank.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

In the West Bank, the Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and wounded a third.

On 12 January 2013, the Israeli forces positioned along the security fence, south of al-Ramadin village in the south of Hebron, killed a Palestinian worker named Oday al-Daraweesh, 21, from Doura in the southwest of Hebron.

On 15 January 2013, the Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child from Budros village, west of Ramallah and al-Bireh, while he was with his friends near the annexation wall.

In the context of efforts to create a Jewish Majority in the Occupied East Jerusalem, the Israeli forces continued to confiscate lands, demolish houses and built new settlement units. PCHR stresses that these measures come in the context of isolating East Jerusalem and annexing it to Israeli according to the Israeli policy that is in violation of the international humanitarian law. PCHR calls upon the international community to promptly take action and reiterates its call upon the High Contracting parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1 of the Convention.

On the level of house demolitions, the Israeli forces demolished 2 houses in Beit Hanina suburb and Sour Baher village, which caused 15 Palestinians to be made homeless. At approximately 07:00 on Monday, 14 January 2013, Israeli forces accompanied by a number if military vehicles and two military bulldozers, raided al-Hathalin neighborhood in Um al-Khair Kehrba area, southeast of Yatta, south of Hebron. The forces patrolled the area, the soldiers were deployed in its surroundings and banned the civilians from transporting. The military bulldozer started demolishing a house made of tin and stones, built on an area of 60 square meters, occupied by Shu’aib al-Hathalin’s, 65, family of 8. It should also be mentioned that Mr. al-Hathalin is physically disabled. In his testimony to a PCHR fieldworker, Khalil Shu’ain al-Hathalin said that the Israeli forces raided the area early in the morning and forced his family to evacuate the house, during the recent cold wave. The bulldozer destroyed the house under pretext of not obtaining a permit.

On 15 January 2013, the Israeli forces moved into al-Ashqariya neighborhood in Beit Hanina suburb, north of occupied East Jerusalem. They surrounded a house belonging to Nasser Awad al-Rajabi, 42, and demolished the house without a prior notice.

At the same time, the Israeli forces moved into Sour Baher village, south of occupied East Jerusalem. They surrounded a house belonging to Aref Hussain ‘Amira, 71, and demolished his 2-storey house.

During the reporting period, the Israeli forces conducted at least 40 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, the Israeli forces abducted at least 29 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians and wounded a third one. On 11 January 2013, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded a second one.

On 14 January 2013, the Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian from Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip while he was standing with his friends in a farmland 1,200 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces conducted 2 limited incursions. The first incursion was on 10 January 2013, when they moved approximately 200 meters to the west of the border fence, east of Gaza Valley (Johr al-Deek) village.

The second incursion was conducted on 14 January 2013, when Israeli forces moved 100 meters to the west of the border fence in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis.

In the Gaza Strip also, on 12 January 2013, Israeli forces positioned along the border fence, east of al-Salqa valley, east of Deir al-Balah, abducted a young man and a boy from the village, as they attempted to cross the border into Israel.

Israeli settlement activities:

Israel has continued settlement activities in the West Bank, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

2 Palestinian civilians were wounded in 2 separate shooting incidents carried out by armed settlers in Nablus on 10 January 2013. The first incident happened when a group of settlers from “Yitzhar” settlement attacked a number of Palestinian civilians from Ourif village, south of Nablus. The other incident took place when an armed settler opened fire at Palestinian civilians, wounding Ammar Masamir, 20.

On 13 January 2013, the Israeli forces submitted a notice to Ehssan Hussain Shnaran, 45, from Wad al-Rakheem area, south of Yatta, to demolish his tent where 10 individuals live. They also submitted a notice to demolish a Kindergarten in Kherbet Sousia, southeast of Hebron.

On 14 January 2013, the Israeli forces demolished a house belonging to the family of Sho’aib al-Hathalin, 65, from Kerbet Um al-Khair, south of Hebron. The house was built of stones and roofed by tin plates on an area of 60 square meters.

On the same day, the Israeli forces demolished a farmhouse in Hawwara area, south of Hebron, belonging to Mohammed Ali Issa Atiya, 45. This house was used as shelter for a 9-member family and to raise livestock.

On the same day, the Israeli forces demolished 2 barns in the vicinity of Kherbet Hawwara belonging to Ziad Yunis Makhamra, 55, and Walid Ahmed al-Jbour, 50, under the pretext of not obtaining building licenses.

In addition to the 2 abovementioned shooting incidents, on 10 January 2013, a group of settlers from “Yesh Kodesh” settlement, southeast of Nablus, damaged 210 live trees in the southwest of Qasra village.

Israeli attacks on nonviolent demonstrations:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, a 21-year-old Palestinian civilian sustained a bullet wound to the left thigh, in Nabi Saleh weekly peaceful demonstration, northwest of Ramallah; 6 Israeli and international human rights activists were detained by Israeli forces and transported to an unknown destination. Also dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and some sustained bruises.

Following the Friday Prayer on 11 January 2013, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. The demonstrators gathered in the streets of the village, chanting slogans calling for national unity. The protesters aimed to stress the need to adhere to national principles and the right of return, to resist the occupation and to call for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and made their way towards the wall. They called through megaphones for Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 11 January 2013, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators moved towards areas of the annexation wall. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Around the same time on Friday, 11 January 2013, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the Martyrs Square in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The protesters walked towards the gate erected by Israeli forces near the entrance of the village, which leads to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby “Halmish” settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, a Palestinian civilian, 21, sustained a bullet wound to the left thigh. He was transported to Palestine Health Complex in Ramallah for treatment. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. Moreover, the Israeli forces abducted 6 Israeli and international human rights activists and transported them to an unknown destination.

Also following the Friday Prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall. As the protestors moved towards the gate of the village, the Israeli forces closed it to prevent the demonstration from gaining access to the confiscated land and attacked the participants; as a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

At approximately 12:15 on the same Friday, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of Kuffor Kadoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest to the continuous closure of the eastern entrance of the village since the outbreak of al-Aqsa Intifada. The demonstrators moved towards the entrance of the village. Immediately, Israeli forces, stationed in the surroundings of the steel gate established at the entrance, fired tear gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

At approximately 11:30 on Tuesday, 15 January 2013, Palestinian civilians and activists in the Popular Committees against the Wall and international human rights activist organized a demonstration in solidarity with the people of al-Jab’a village, northwest of Hebron. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and made their way towards the gate separating al-Jab’a and Sourif villages, west of Hebro. The demonstrators broke the steel gate, installed by the Israeli forces approximately 13 years ago, and opened it for civilian movement. The Israeli forces surrounded the area, and some soldiers attacked the demonstrators and got in a hand-fight with them. As a result, some of the demonstrators sustained bruises.

Recommendations to the international community:

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention fulfill their legal and moral obligations under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure Israel’s respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

The PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel’s respect of the Convention in the OPT and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.